勅修百丈清規 4.36

4.36

He leads and regulates the assembly of monks, exhausting every effort in accommodating and guiding them. For hall monks registering for residence, he verifies the authenticity of ordination certificates. If there are disputes or lost property among the assembly, he discerns, resolves, and reconciles them. He manages monastic age, seniority of seat assignments, bed rosters, and registers; in all monastic affairs, both internal and external, there is nothing he does not oversee. Intoning invocations and dedicating merit, he conducts Buddhist services through sound. Regarding sick monks and deceased monks, he must be especially attentive. Daily he attends the hall for the two meals. When the bell sounds in front of the hall, he leaves his seat. Entering the hall, he offers incense before the sacred monk with his left hand, retreats two and a half steps, greets with folded hands, joins his palms, and enters to stand by the mallet. First he inspects the names and positions of the spirits for the daily dedication. When the bell and drum cease, he strikes the mallet once. After the assembly has unfolded their bowls, he strikes the mallet once more, joins his palms, and silently dedicates merit to that day's spirits. Resting his left hand on the block, he intones: (Relying upon the great assembly, let us recite: Pure Dharma-body Vairocana Buddha, Complete Reward-body with the ten epithets, and so forth.) With his right hand he strikes the mallet, raising it no higher than five inches. Only when the sound ceases does he lower the mallet, keeping the tempo balanced. Waiting until the head seat is near the end of chanting the third phrase of the meal verse, he turns around, retreats, and stands at the head of the standing monk's board. Waiting until the food has been served everywhere, he steps forward and strikes the mallet once, joins his palms, proceeds before the sacred monk to greet with folded hands, leaves the hall, and returns to his bowl place. If a benefactor offers a meal to the monks and distributes donations throughout the meal, after striking the mallet he circles behind the sacred monk, faces the head seat on the left side to greet with folded hands, strikes the mallet once more, and departs; this is to invite the distribution of donations. If there are other engagements, or if he takes temporary leave to go out, he personally brings the monastic age register, leave register, and hall administration handbook to the guest master's office to have them manage it in his stead.